


Rooftop Eden

by madlysanecatlady



Series: The Nice and Accurate Ineffable Husbands Compendium [2]
Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Fluff, M/M, the plants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-19 21:24:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18978643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madlysanecatlady/pseuds/madlysanecatlady
Summary: Crowley has a unique approach to gardening, one Aziraphale finds pretty endearing.





	Rooftop Eden

Aziraphale had honestly not been ready for the, well, assault of plant life surrounding every available inch of Crowley’s flat the first time he had ventured inside. Vines exploded out of pots hanging from the ceiling, their long tentacles swirling out at random angles, seemingly in defiance of the general laws of gravity, and clasped arms with their neighbours, forming a sort of thatched green ivy ceiling. Aziraphale didn’t even want to start on the wild assortment of flowering shrubbery that would much better do out in rolling country hills than in a demon’s flat but that nevertheless looked beautiful and resplendent. He wondered what the demon’s secret was.

He of course, got his answer not a few minutes after being invited in. What should have been a vivid yellow rose bush lay rather sad and drooping in its pot with a grouchy Crowley towering over it with a spray bottle.

‘Was the empty pot of your old neighbour not enough encouragement?’ he admonished the sorry excuse for a little flower, gesturing angrily in the direction of a barren stone pot next to the sad little rose. ‘You remember what happened to the pink roses last week when they decided they’d had enough of trying to make an effort and went all droopy, don’t you? But I guess it was just too difficult a lesson?’

Aziraphale thought that was rather a harsh way to deal with plants, whose chemical systems were barely advanced enough to understand how to ingest water, but, looking around at the veritable jungle surrounding him, it seemed to do the trick for most of the plants here. No wonder the tall fern in the corner was making such a good show of growing straight upwards with perfect, large green leaves evenly spaced about it. Clearly the plant did not want to find itself as the next victim of the fallen angel’s oddly plant-specific ire.

‘Well, I suppose it’s out to the bin with you,’ Crowley picked up the rose pot with a flourish and marched purposefully towards the door. Curious, and honestly a little horrified, Aziraphale followed.

Crowley did not lead the way to the bin, or anything of the sort, actually. He led the bewildered angel up several floors to a door that read ROOFTOP EXIT in peeling red letters. Concerned that Crowley was about to drop the little plant from the roof, and possibly onto the hed of some unsuspecting passerby, he was ready to make the fact that he’d followed known to the demon, but paused when he heard Crowley speak again to the plant.

‘Very sorry, little yellow,’ he practically cooed to the terrified and shrivelled little plant. ‘But they’ll all want special treatment if they know my threats are empty, won’t they? Come on now, let’s go see your new home.’

Now utterly confused, Aziraphale followed Crowley through the door and up onto the roof. He was immediately assailed by yet another collection of even more flourishing plants, as if that were even possible. He watched the still-cooing demon transfer the rose bush into a large stone planter next to a very young pink one.

‘There you go, little yellow, you remember little pink?’ he set the smaller pot aside to gently stroke the plant’s withered and trembling little leaves. ‘The sunshine here will be a lot more helpful to you, won’t it?’

‘I always knew there was good in you,’ Aziraphale said, smiling, by way of announcing his presence.

‘Mm, I wondered when you’d stop skulking around with the azaleas,’ Crowley didn’t turn away from the rose, but Aziraphale could see the smile on his face. ‘Don’t listen to them, they’re still bitter about having to share a planter with the geraniums.’

‘Why the theatrics?’ Aziraphale wondered, looking around at all the lush green leaves and blooms.

‘How am I supposed to encourage the ones inside to grow nicely if they know the alternative is being out here?’ Crowley rolled his eyes. ‘The ones inside are the strong, tough ones. I can’t have them up here bullying the obviously fragile ones.’

Aziraphale smiled and placed a gentle hand to the middle of Crowley’s back. ‘That’s so sweet.’

‘Yeah, well, this is all your fault,’ Crowley rolled his eyes and straightened up. ‘If you weren’t so… ineffably good, I never would have had your voice nagging in the back of my mind when I’d tried to do away with the first plant that wilted, telling me it wasn’t the plant’s fault it wasn’t doing well inside. And now it’s gotten a bit out of hand.’

‘It’s beautiful, if that’s what you mean,’ Aziraphale smiled again, looking around at the vibrant plant life. ‘You’ve done amazingly up here, dear.’

‘Well, I’m happy you like it, since it’s mostly been you who’s inspired it,’ Crowley gave a short laugh. ‘You’re a good influence on me, angel. I should be angry with you, but we both know I’ve not been able to manage that in centuries.’

Aziraphale chuckled and took Crowley’s hand into his, leading the way around the rooftop garden, smiling around at all the flowers. ‘It reminds me of the East Gate, almost. Were you feeling nostalgic, dear?’

‘Well, it is where The Arrangement began, isn’t it? Or at least, it’s where I finally got to see that tiny inkling of the bastard that hides under those pearly white feathers of yours, angel,’ Crowley smirked. ‘If I hadn’t seen that, I’d probably think you insufferable.’

‘Would you? Really?’ Aziraphale loved the moments he got to tease Crowley.

‘Hmm, maybe,’ Crowley leaned in to kiss him lightly. He grinned when Aziraphale followed his lips as he pulled away. ‘So easily tempted.’

‘You’re the devil,’ Aziraphale snorted.

‘Definitely not. I think he hates me.’

‘You are sort of a terrible demon, dear.’

‘It’s probably your fault,’ Crowley nudged him with his shoulder. ‘So you like my little Eden away from Eden?’

‘It’s beautiful, dear, you know that,’ Aziraphale kissed his temple. ‘It’s no wonder you’re keeping this secret from your more, shall we say, brutish plants inside. They’d all want to crowd their way up here.’

‘Shall we go back inside? I wanted to show you a book I picked up on my last trip over to Hull,’ Crowley smiled. ‘A Wilde first edition I don’t think you’ve gotten your surprisingly grabby little angel hands onto yet.’

‘You spoil me so, dear, the people upstairs might start to take notice,’ Aziraphale allowed himself to be led back towards the door back into the building.

Crowley shrugged. ‘A happy angel does more good, doesn’t he? If anything, they’ll thank me.’

Aziraphale laughed, allowing Crowley to lead the way back inside, taking a final chance to look back at the beautiful rooftop Eden Crowley had made for himself. He should have known better than to think Crowley would ever be so cruel as to actually harm one of his precious plants. He knew the demon liked to think he was putting on a fair show of furthering the agendas of Evil, but they both know Crowley was softer than that. While he was never above causing a mild annoyance, Aziraphale knew Crowley had enough good still in him to keep from ever going too far down the path of Evil. He smiled over his shoulder; this little slice of Eden was the perfect proof.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Basically the result of my giggling about a drafted shitpost I made half-asleep last night on tumblr.


End file.
